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(No Model.)

H. M. WELLS. AMBULANGE GOT.

No. 261.796. Patent-d July 25, 1882.

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HENRY M. WELLS, OF

PATENT Ormea.

NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH J. VVALTON, OF SAME PLAGE.

AM BULANCE-COT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 261,796, dated July 25, 11882.

' Application filedApril 4,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY M. WELLS, of New York, in the county ot' New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ambulance-Colis; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', ret'- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked 1o thereon, which form part of this specification. The object of my invention is to afford a safe, comfortable, and rapid means for the transportation of sick and disabled persons; and the nature of my invention consists in the novel manner of constructing a canvas cot or stretcher, whereby great facility is att'orded in the movement of disabled persons from one place to another, as will be hereinafter explained.

The following description of my invention, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, will enable others skilled in the art to fully understand it.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a per- 2 5 spective view of my improved stretcher or cot arranged for use as a military or ield stretcher. Fig. 2 isan enlarged cross-section through the stretcher or cot. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through one end ofthe stretcher 3o or cot. Fig. 4 is a view showing the cot rolled up compactly.

The form ot' my cot is oblong and quadrangular. It is preferably made about six feet long and from twenty-two inches to two feet wide, although these proportions may vary accordin g to circumstances. The bottom or body proper of the cot is made of two thicknesses of canvas, as indicated by the letters A A, which are connected together by transverse parallel 4o rows of stitching,.so as to form casings or tubes, in which narrow strips of wood are inserted, as indicated by the letter B. This allows the cot iiexibility when taken longitudi 4nally, but stii'ens it laterally. The strips B may, if desired, be sudiciently dexible to allow them to conform in a degree to the body of a person, and afford all the comfort possible. This canvas body or cot-bottom is strengthened by means of strong ropes C, suitably stitched to its edges, as shown in Figs. l and 2. To 5o the two longitudinal sides, and also to the foot ofthe cot-bottom, I strongly secure guards or stays D D', which are made o t' canvas, so that4 they will fold up with the slatted bottom of the cot. The side guards, D D, are made tubular for the purpose of receiving staffs E E (shown in Fig. l) whenit is desired to use the cot as a portable field-stretcher for carrying sick or wounded persons. The foot-guard or stay D is secured by lacing or otherwise to 6o the ends of the side guards, D, so that the guards serve, as their name implies, to stay the sides and one end ofthe cot. Y

At the head of the cot the transverseguard may be omitted, and in its place I attach by a rope hinge a pillow, F, which may be detached, if desired, and which will afford a good headrest when adjusted on the top of the cot, as represented in Fig. 1.

To the side guards, D, I securely tasten, at 7o proper distances apart, a number ot' flexible canvas handles, G. These I prefer to arr-an ge, as shown, so that the lifting-power can be distributed and changed according to the requirements of the patient, the location of his wound, and the position in which it may be necessary to keep him during transportation.

As the cot is exible longitudinally, when the poles or staffs are detached from it a patient may be moved either with his head and 8o 'chest elevated above the lower extremities, or

the latter may be elevated or flexed more or less. In short the cot will, when the staffs are removed from it, adapt itself comfortably to the various parts of the body in whatever po- 8 5 sition it may be necessary to maintain them.

It will be seen from the above that my improved cot is adapted for convenient use on board of merchant-vessels, vessels of war, in militaryecamps, hospitals, city-an1bulances,and 9o wherever sick and wounded persons are to be moved.

When the cot is not in immediate use it can bc compactly rolled up, as shown in Fig. 4.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. Aportable invalid-cot consistingofthelongitudinally-tlexible bottom, stidened by transversely-'arran ged strips, and provided with side guards and lifting-handles, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the cot-body formed of two thicknesses of canvas, stiffened'trans- 5 versely by, strips, the flexible side guards adapted to receive stretcher-staffs, and the handles secured to said guards and so disposed that the lifting-power can be distributed and changed according to the requirements of the 1o patient, substantially as described. t

3. The combination of' the binding-rope C,

the transversely-slatted aud longitudinallyleXible cot-bottom, the ileXible guards, and the pillow applied to the head of the cot, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

HENRY M. WELLS.

Witnesses:

H. S. MITCHELL, THOMAS H. SANDERS. 

